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Oregon Supreme Court: Campaign Finance Restrictions Can't Be Enforced

by
AP
AP |
Oct. 4, 2012 11:45 a.m.

The Oregon Supreme Court has ruled that restrictions on campaign finance that Oregon voters approved in 2006 can’t be enforced.

The restrictions were approved in a 2006 ballot measure, but they’ve never been put to use because voters struck down a companion measure that would have changed the state constitution to allow such restrictions.

Groups supporting campaign finance restrictions took the case to the Oregon Court of Appeals, which sided with the Secretary of State.

The Supreme Court agreed with the appeals court on Thursday and ruled the restrictions can’t be imposed.

The court’s decision didn’t address whether limits on contributions would violate free speech rights, an issue going back years in Oregon.

In 1997, the court struck down an earlier attempt to regulate campaign finance.